Phone Pictionary

When I went to this house party a few months ago, they had this really fun ice breaker game that I thoroughly enjoyed so that is the game I shall describe to you today!

I unfortunately can't remember the name, but it was basically a combination of Pictionary and the telephone game.

Here are the basic rules of how the game works:

Each player is given say, 20 square sheets of paper.

At the beginning of the game, each member writes down a word on the first sheet of paper.

After this is done, each member will pass their stacks of paper to the next person.

It is then, the player's job to read the word written on the first sheet of paper, set it on the back of the pile, and then attempt to draw, to the best of their ability, that word.

After this is complete, each member passes their pile to the next team player who will then, once again, put that sheet of paper to the back of the pile, and then write down what WORD they think was being drawn.

This process repeats from word, to picture, back to word, and then another picture, etc.

At the end of the game, it is fun to go through everyone's sheet pile and see everyone's drawings and guesses. It is also a fun additional project to the game to guess who drew what.

This game was meant for an adult audience, but it really can be suitable for any age group I believe. It is definitely a fun way to get people to start laughing and having fun when there isn't much to talk about and there is that awkward tension at the beginning of a party.

Screw Your Neighbor Game

In the game of "Screw your neighbor", all players receive three shot glasses filled with their liquor of choice. A deck of cards are needed for this game. The deck is shuffled and high card starts as the dealer.

All players receive one card face down and they all can look at their card. The player sitting on the right next to the dealer goes first; he or she can keep his card or switch with his neighbor to the left. Deuce is low and Ace is high.

The player with the lowest card at the end of the round must drink one of the shots. When all his or her shots are done they are eliminated from the game. If a player gets a King it is a blocker card and is turned face up and the player to the right has no option to switch the cards.

This is a great game to start a party; if you want to play many rounds you can do shots of beer or non-alcohol. You can also play for money or any other prize. The game is fun because everyone is involved in each hand and the suspense makes it fun. Also if two player ties for the lowest card they both must do the shot which brings a bonding type element.

Another version of the game is what the lowest card is determines the type of shot. For example if you lose with a deuce you may only have to do a shot of beer, but if you lose with a higher card like a Queen you have to do a shot of rum.

This game works for everyone also because you can play a version where people pick their own shots. This game works because it can be played at a girls-only party or a mixed party. It can be played with as few as three players and up to 50 players.

2 minute dating and Other Icebreaker Games

2 minute dating is similar to the classical speed dating where you just go around the table and ask questions and answers questions about people. You can have a set of questions (fun, embarrassing or naughty questions) prepared in advance that you are forced to ask your new "speed dating partner".

Quick Links

You have 6 cups on each side of the table were you and another person is standing, you have to be across the table from each other. Then you take a ping pong and try and bounce it in one of the cups. If you miss you take a shot and if you make one the other person take a shot.

Everyone should know how to play this game but just in case. One person asks you truth or dare and if you pick dare they will dare you to kiss someone or run around naked. If you pick truth you ask any questions and you have to tell the truth.

Picture match

Everyone just has to put at least 2 pictures in a pile. Everyone has to choose pictures of something that is important or interesting to them!

Then, you just take turns picking one out guessing the names of the person who put the picture in. If the picture is from a person and not from an object, you can guess personal details about the player who chose the picture.

Example: if you find a picture of Britney Spears, you guess the player who put it in was a girl. Only reveal the solutions to everything at the end. You will be surprised what you will learn about the other players.

Icebreaker Game - Tournament

Every year at our family Christmas party we begin with a game "Tournament." There is a table placed just outside the main living area where the games are carried out. For this idea you only need a board game that requires two sets of partners, a piece of paper, and a container to draw the numbers from.

You will also need a sheet of paper to record the winners and make a diagram of eliminations. Basically it starts out with a line for each team and after the first round there will only be half of those names so half the lines.

Numbers are written on little pieces of paper and balled up and put into a jar or something. Each person picks a number and that is the number they will have in the tournament and it determines who their partner will be. We have lately been playing the games "Sequence" which is very competitive but any competitive board game with partners will do.

By the time the second round starts people will have either become very interested in the outcome of the tournament or they will have started side conversations of their own. Either way there will be plenty of conversation in the room. It makes it even more exciting if there is a prize like gift cards or expensive wine at stake.

For those who do not win in the first rounds of the tournament there could be other games to play...we have a pool table and a dart board so people start entertaining themselves and start catching up with distant relatives or new friends.

The final round of the tournament is always really exciting and after the winners receive their prizes we start another game, which is also a yearly tradition. We all bring a gift worth between $10 to $20 and wrap it like a Christmas present. This could be done at any time of the year.

In this game we usually use the same numbers that we picked for the first tournament and number one picks a present first. Then number two can either pick a new present or steal the present from number one. There are simple rules like a gift can only be stolen three times per round.

Between these two games we have a very busy and exciting party that everyone enjoys!

Three Truths Game

A really good ice breaker game for parties that I know of and have played is called "Three Truths." It's appropriate for any age and can be done at any party. The only limitation is that you have to be able to talk and comprehend well, so toddlers and pre-schoolers might not do a good job.

You don't even need any accessories for it, so it's good for spontaneous get-togethers when you might not have had time to go out and get materials for other games. The game requires everyone getting in a circle and taking turns telling about themselves. They have to come up with three things that are true and one that is not.

For example, when I played it for the first time, I said that

My middle name was Louise that I liked to write poems and stories.

I had three brothers.

I loved classic country music.

The part about the tree brothers was the untrue part since I only have a sister. The object of the game is for people to guess which of your facts is untrue. It can be fun because people often guess wrong because they think one of the facts is weird so assume it's the one.

Everyone at the party where I played this thought I didn't really like classic country music, but I love it and always have. It's funny to see what assumptions people make about you, though, and it's also fun learning the three real facts about each person.

I've played this game at about five parties in my life, and it's always a hit. It never fails to get people laughing because you can get silly with it if you want. You can make the things you tell about yourself as personal, crazy or interesting as you want, too, so you don't have to worry about getting embarrassed.

Unlike "Truth or Dare," nothing comes out that you don't have control over.